How are we going to get to where we want to be? How do we create a project plan to achieve our goals?

Once we have developed a strategic framework it is much easier to make a successful project plan. So let us recap on how we bring together the strategic planning: at the beginning we identified the where; the beginning and the end of the journey.  We defined success in the ‘what’ so that we definitely know when we have arrived, and we have also established ‘why’ we are setting off in the first place.  The where, what and why provides us with the strategic framing for our project plan.  Now we need to choose a route and also work out what we are going to take with us; what resources we will need.  This is where we come on to the ‘how’, the method by which we achieve the mission; the goals and activities that measure our progress towards our desired outcome.  Combined with answering the ‘when’, ‘who’ and ‘which’ we can come up with the plan we need to employ in order to achieve the overall vision and mission.

Let us put this all together with the aid of a story.

Planning to achieve a life goal

I mentioned previously the expedition to Greenland that I undertook with my wife to make some first ascents of a group of mountains on the east coast.  For the planning of the expedition we used all we information we had at our disposal, although the maps and aerial photos showed very little in the way of real detail.  But these coupled with some knowledge gleaned from an expert on the area meant that we were able to identify a way to approach the hills, find a likely spot to make a base camp and select some peaks that we could attempt while we were out there.  These peaks each became a goal in their own right and we now had the outline of a plan.

Once out in Greenland we were able to confirm physically the scalable peaks in the area and work out a more detailed climbing programme that suited our available time, our ability, and the weather.  This itinerary was designed to build towards going up the largest of the hills in the area.  I had spotted the peak on the photo back in the UK; but now that I could see the mountain in three-dimensions I was able to identify some potential routes to get to the top. I knew these could be explored yet further when we got close enough to ‘rub our noses up against it’.

From plan to reality

From what I had observed I could see that the climb would break down into several natural stages: the approach to the mountain, a traverse of a plateau, the main climb and achieving the summit, and then recovering back to our camp.  Each stage had a planned duration and had milestones we set and measured our progress against. This all helped to keep us on schedule.

By the time we were in striking distance of the summit we were tired, the going was hard and the temperature had dropped significantly.  At this point the measure of progress reduced from milestones to ‘I will take ten more steps and then rest’.

“How do you eat an Elephant? In lots of very small pieces.”  Anon

This was how we achieved our aim and how I fulfilled my dream: one little step at a time.  I am happy to say we got there and back again safely and during our two weeks in that region of Greenland we ‘bagged’ six first ascents.  It was a truly successful expedition.

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The key to planning success

This story holds the key to planning any great venture.  A dream powered by passion turns into a mission.  We then start to plan ‘how’ we are going to achieve that mission and break it down into goals.  Each of these goals is further broken down into smaller stages; milestones are set and the nearest steps are planned in the greatest detail.

This is an important point: the detail of the project plan or strategy depends on our proximity to the goal. If we start with too much detail – for events too far in the future – we will find the situation will inevitably have changed. By the time we get there, the detail is unlikely to work out.  Therefore it is better to remain flexible and adapt. As new information comes to light, and as we get closer, we can then plan in ever greater detail.

Breaking the plan down

It is like breaking down a landscape into the near, middle and far distance.  When we look out from our starting point we can naturally see the near ground with more clarity. We may even be able to identify the exact path we want to take.  As we strain our eyes towards the horizon we cannot hope to have the same level of detail. So we have to keep our long term plans broader in scope.

The near, middle and far could be measures of proximity, as they were for me in Greenland. But they could also be time-horizons such as 6 months, 2 years and 5 years for a business plan.  We will look at this a little more under ‘when’ and timing.

Planning to several stated horizons, with varying levels of detail, helps us to strategize comprehensively. It helps to maintain plans that are both simple and flexible.  With our goal in mind, there maybe two or three routes that we could use to get there.  We choose the best course and then we plan for this strategy to the required level of detail.

The most important question in a project plan

The amount of detail we need is dependent upon the task. But, what is essential, is that we have broken down our goal to the extent we know exactly what to do next.  We need to be able to answer the question: “what is the one most effective thing that I can do right now to effectively take me towards my goal?”.

In this way, we can make the next few steps very clear and achievable; even if the overall goal seems daunting.  If we fail to break things down properly then our more audacious goals will evade us. We know exactly what we need to do next. That is where the detail lies.

“Prior Planning and Preparation Prevents Poor Performance.”  Military saying

If you want the best chance of successfully achieving your goals and dreams then you are going to need some sort of plan. Here are some tips, steps and templates to help you plan and achieve any goal.

“If you can dream it, you can do it.”

Walt Disney

What is a goal?

A goal is something you want to achieve. It could be a personal ambition or a group objective. It is an idea that you envision and then plan and commit to fulfilling.

The Importance of goal setting

The process of setting goals helps us psychologically to encapsulate an idea and commit us to action. Working towards a goal gives us the feeling of positive forward movement.

It also helps practically as setting goals allows us to quantify our end-state and qualify our success. Having a set goal allows us to measure our progress and reflect and learn as we work towards it.

Setting goals allows us to know when we have succeeded in something and provides the opportunity to celebrate when we achieve the goal.

“We aim above the mark to hit the mark.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Importance of Plans

Whether you are an individual thinking about a career change or personal development, a team undertaking an innovative project, or a large organisation rolling out a new strategy you will need a plan of some sort.

Action plans do not need to be overly complicated. For example, at the simplest level, to-do lists and shopping lists can be crude but effective action plans.

If you are an individual aiming to achieve a simple goal such as going on holiday the details of the plan will, of course, be very different to a large multinational corporation making an action plan for launching their next product. But despite this, the initial questions that you need to ask are very similar.

The steps to making a plan and achieving your goals

To achieve the goals you just need to follow these simple steps and create your plan:

1. Ask yourself why do you want to do the thing you are thinking about?

Asking why helps to work out what you value and what motivates you.

To find out more about discovering your principles, passions and priorities go to the post What are your personal values?

2. Work out where you are and where you want to go

You need a start point and an endpoint. First think about your present situation, where you are now. This situational analysis helps to set the context for starting out with your goal.

Next, think about where you want to be when you have succeeded in your goal. This is the vision or dream you want to achieve.

If you want more help in developing your vision statement read What is a vision statement and why are they important?

3. Define what your overall mission is and what success looks like.

Now that you worked out where you want to get to you can define what the endpoint actually is.

Describe exactly what success looks like; the criteria that show exactly when you have achieved your goal. This is your goal or mission statement.

For more detail on this process have a look at What is a mission statement and why do you need one?

4. Think about which ways you could achieve success and consider the advantages and disadvantages of each option.

There are different routes you can take to achieve the goal. Which one seems the best? Think about what the risks might be and what advantages and disadvantages there are to each option. Then you can work out what you believe to be the best option to choose.

For more help with this section have a look at Which is your best course of action?

5. Pick your preferred goal and work out how you are going to achieve the goal.

Now that you have considered the options and picked your favourite you can start to plan how you are going to achieve it. Think about: What are the steps you need to take? What resources might you need?

For more detail look at How do you set goals, tasks and milestones for a plan and also Setting goals and tasks the SMART way.

6. Break the goal down into steps, noting who can help you.

You don’t have to do everything on your own, even if this is a personal plan rather than a group one. As you break down the goal into steps think about who might be able to assist you or give you advice.

If you would like to find out more about this step read Networking and the power of relationships in building a team.

7. Schedule the individual steps into your diary to define when you will achieve them.

Now that you have a list of steps you can put them into your diary. I tend to keep my list of goals and steps on my phone then prioritise them and put the most important next steps straight into my diary. A step should be easily achievable, something you can do in minutes or at most hours. The one most important thing you need to do should be the next thing in your diary, even if that’s a simple 5-minute task such as making a phone call.

Picking the right time is also important. For more on this have a look at The secret of perfect timing.

“When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.”

Confucius

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Asking The Right Questions to achieve goals

This process reflects The Right Questions decision-making process and can be applied quickly – as a rapid problem-solving method – or in a more lengthy in-depth study to formulate a detailed plan or strategy.

The Right Questions planning process employs the seven basic interrogatives in the English language (why, where, what, which, how, who, when) to provide an easy to remember and holistic approach to problem-solving.

You can find out more about The Right Questions and how to apply them via the following link:

What are The Right Questions for Decision Making and Strategic Planning?

Goal setting and personal plan templates

Whether you are doing a quick appreciation of a situation or looking at a problem in greater detail it is useful to create a simple summary of your conclusions. Practically it is useful to have this summary on a single piece of paper that is quick and easy to refer to and easily communicated or shared.

A personal action plan template can help you achieve this headline view of the challenge you are facing and remind you of the critical factors you need to address. If you post the action plan in a prominent place – be it your noticeboard, fridge or computer screen – it will also help to keep you accountable to the next steps you need to take in your plan.

Here is a simple pdf template (pictured below) to capture your personal plan for achieving goals. You can download the template for your use below:

What resources do you need to achieve your goal? How do you estimate those resources for your plan? Which ways can you get the resources you need?

Quite often we limit ourselves and our plan to our present resources.  After all, it is reasonable to ask ‘Which holiday can I afford?’ before going and booking one.  Budgeting is good stewardship and I would certainly not recommend getting into debt on a whim.

But we will never be able to dream big or make macro leaps forward if we limit our goals to what we can achieve with the resources we have now.  It is better to first ask what we are passionate about doing, working out the resources required, and then thinking creatively of ways to get what we need.  That is why this question comes some way down the planning process.

The importance of logistics

An army needs logistics. A large portion of every military is concerned with delivering the right resources to the right people in the right places.  In fact, there are many more logisticians than infantry soldiers in the average army.  But the army does not exist for logistics. It has a mission to achieve. That aim is very rarely just to do with just moving men and equipment from one place to another.  Logistics is a large and essential part of achieving your aim. But it is there to support the mission, not to drive it.  History testifies to the fact that an army will beg, borrow and steal if necessary to get the job done if (or rather when) logistics fail.  You can still achieve your aim when resources are difficult to come by if you remain focussed; as the United States Marine Corps would say: you just need to ‘improvise, adapt and overcome!’

The right motivation is key

This is because there are very few times when finances and resources are fixed.  A compelling vision inspires us to innovate and save. It motivates us to earn and raise the funding that we need and find the tools to get the job done.

Why is it that many people who win the lottery often struggle. Why do they end up having spent their money within a few years?  The gambling industry sells winning as the dream; it does not provide a vision for what comes beyond that.  Many people who win do not have a clear idea of what they want to do with the money. They might take a nice holiday and pay off the mortgage but that is not a grand vision. Anyway, these things can be done without playing the lottery or the roulette wheel.

People who make (and keep) large amounts of money use it productively. Resources that continue to grow are usually driven by a vision beyond that of just making cash.  Bill Gates, the richest man in the world for most of the last decade, was not motivated primarily by money.  When he started Microsoft with Paul Allen they had a vision of a computer in every home. This dream, of how computing could transform the world, drove Microsoft. It became the most successful software business in the world and made Bill Gates a multi-billionaire.

Money, Manpower and Materiel

So we start with the dream and then work out what we need to make it a reality.  When we need to make something happen it generally comes down to the three ‘M’s:

• Money
• Manning
• Materiel

Cash, workers and equipment are all important but it is usually the first element, the money, which drives others; so this is the primary consideration here (we will look at the people issue more under the Who question).

Estimating the cost

When we have our dream or our goal, we can start to put a cost against it.  If it is hard to assess the cost for a whole goal we can break it down, as we have done previously, and cost each constituent task or step.

Remember to put a cost against the time you invest in achieving the goal.  When doing something yourself you can feel you are getting it done for free but that is not actually true.  Our time is worth something, even if it is just the opportunity-cost of not being able to do something else while we are engaged with a task we have decided upon.

Often it will turn out cheaper to pay someone else to do a task that can be delegated as this leaves you just the things that no-one else can do and you will achieve your goal all the sooner.  We will look at delegation some more under the ‘Who’, but having broken down tasks and now putting costs to them will help you make decisions on the team you might need.

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Alternative funding

Once you have estimated a cost for each individual task you will get an idea of the budget for the whole project.  Once this has been done you can start to think creatively about how to reduce the costs. Or you can seek further resources in more inventive ways (and no I am not talking about stealing here!).

For example, instead of paying for a qualified professional, could you get someone to do the work voluntarily? Perhaps you could offer them experience as an intern? If someone is still in training or education they may value the experience more than pay.  Alternatively, think about what service or product you might be able to offer someone in return. Bartering is as old as trade itself but sometimes people forget it. I have used this sort of transaction in building my business. For example I have coached people in return for help with my website.

I used this method when I employed someone to develop my website. They worked on the website in return provided some coaching to help them further their career. It was an easy win for both of us, and no cash changed hands.

Fuel the dream

Considering the resources we need and how we are going to get them is an important aspect of how we make our dreams real.  An idea becomes a lot more tangible as we think about and assess the tools and materials we need for the job. It can take some time, and may not be as liberating as some of the big picture thinking, but it is important so stick with it!

“First, have a definite, clear practical ideal; a goal, an objective. Second, have the necessary means to achieve your ends; wisdom, money, materials, and methods. Third, adjust all your means to that end.” Aristotle

Project planning is all out working out your plan in time and space. In The Right Questions Framework, the ‘When’ question relates to the ‘How’ of tasks and resources. As well as mapping these against time the ‘when’ also revisits the concept of priorities, first looked at under ‘why’. Putting this all together brings us to the concept of programming. There are various ways to graphically show a time-based plan but the Gantt Chart is probably the best known and most frequently used.

Programming

I was part of the initial project management team working on the construction of ‘The Shard’, the new tower above London Bridge station, which is the tallest building in Western Europe.  It goes without saying that it is massive and complex; too big to contemplate in all its detail.  What’s more, it is unique, there is not another building quite like it anywhere in the world.  Considering this, how could someone possibly decide how long it was going to take to build?  The key, as we looked at it under the ‘How’ question, was to break the whole plan down into manageable pieces. It is hard to estimate how long it will take to build a 330m tower, but you can start by working out how long it will take to construct one pillar or fit one window.

We can do the same for our goals.  We are already mostly there as under ‘How’ we broke down our dreams into goals and our goals into tasks.  It should be easier to assess the time for one task and if we need even greater accuracy we can break the task down into steps and work out the duration for those.

By doing this we are building up a programme (a plan with timings) to achieve our vision.  We have identified goals, worked out the necessary tasks and resources and now given time to each step.  Through this process, the dream starts to become more tangible.  Once again, don’t worry if you can’t work out everything – the important thing is to know the next few steps in enough detail to start to act.

Critical path analysis and keeping things simple

If you work out all of the activities that you need to achieve and the duration of each task then you will have a fully functioning programme; the sort of thing a project manager will create.  When you put all your activities into sequence the quickest route through the plan becomes the ‘critical path’ and gives you the shortest duration to achieve your aim.

Remember: a programme can include as little or as much detail as you need.  The important thing is that the programme helps you to plan and helps you track your progress towards a goal.  My advice is to start simple and if you can’t fit it legibly on one A4 page, or it starts being hard to understand, simplify it.

Gantt Chart Example

Earlier when we looked at tasks and milestones we looked at the example of building a shed. Let’s use the same example to make a simple programme. We can start by estimating the duration for each activity:

• Work out what type and size of shed you need and where it will go. We will need to go out and do some measuring so let’s assume 1 hour.
• Select the best shed to suit your purpose. This might require some time researching on the internet so let’s give ourselves 2 hours.
• Purchase the shed. I am planning to do this online, so once I have decided on the right shed, it should only take me only a few minutes.  It is a good idea to always give ourselves 30 minutes, even for a simple task, so I am going to assign a half-hour here.
• The shed is delivered. This is a milestone so I will not give it a duration. But, there is likely to be a time lag between purchasing and delivery and I will assume it will be 48 hours between payment and receiving the goods.
• Prepare the ground. I will need to level the ground and my garden is on a slope so this is likely to take some time. I will initially give myself 4 hours. This could take longer, especially if foundations are required. So I might have to re-calculate this after inspecting the ground and the shed I have chosen.
• Erect the walls. I am going to allow myself 2 hours for this task. This job will probably require the help of another person. I will have to ask someone to help soon to prevent my project from being delayed.
• Construct the roof and make it waterproof. Again I will estimate around 2 hours for this.
• Fit the door and windows. This could be a fiddly job so once again I am going to give myself 2 hours here
• Furnish the shed ready for use. This will likely require popping to the shops again so I am going to give myself 3 hours for this.
• Start using the shed. This is a milestone so I won’t give it a duration.

Now we can create a pictorial representation of the programme. This is known as a Gantt Chart (named after Henry Gantt, the man who developed the idea). Putting all the activities into the correct order, I have created a Gantt Chart. You can see the first version in Figure 1:

You will notice that as I start to fit the tasks into normal working hours, some activities roll forward. Now they take place over several days. I can now see that I won’t be able to start using the shed until the 5^th day.

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Prioritising

“Time is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you can spend it. Once you’ve lost it you can never get it back.” Harvey MacKay

Time is limited so therefore within the plan we need to prioritise.  There is never enough time to do everything. Therefore, we need to be able to decide which things to forgo.  Our values point us towards our priorities and that helps us make the right decisions, especially when under pressure.

We have to know the tasks that are vital to success but this is not always straightforward to ascertain.  Therefore, we may need to go through a process of elimination until we can perceive the essential elements.

Which things can be done concurrently?  Which tasks could you delay or rearrange? What could you delegate or even dispense with altogether?  By asking these sorts of questions you get down to the bare bones of what are the vital actions.  You may well find that you can refine your programme after asking these questions.

For example, looking at our shed project again I can see that I don’t need to wait for the shed to arrive in order to prepare the ground. I can save myself some time by starting this task while I am waiting for the shed to be delivered as you can see in Figure 2:

You can see that by getting on with the groundwork concurrently I have reduced the total duration of the project by a day. Therefore, I will now be able to start using the shed on day 4.

Cash Flow and Budgeting

After adding the duration to the tasks the next thing to do is to add the resources needed for each activity.  This is the next layer of the programme and can be added to your table or spreadsheet.

In this way, we can establish not just the cost of any task but also the yearly, monthly, weekly or daily cost of a goal or activity.  In other words, we create a cash flow forecast or budget.

After doing all this you should be able to link the dream you have right through to the very next step you need to take.  Hopefully, you will also know exactly how long it will take and how much it will cost.  You can now put that step in your diary and you are on your way!

Project Management Programming Software

The Gantt Charts for this post was created using Merlin Project Management Software. Merlin 2 is the best project management programming software that I have used for the Mac and if you want to find out more or try a demo then click here.

Merlin is very similar to Microsoft Project, the main software I have used on PC. This is something of the industry standard for project management software, although perhaps not the best.

We do not always think in terms of risk but there is risk in every decision we make. The risk is always balanced against the opportunity to some degree or another. Risk assessment, risk management and risk strategies are processes we can add to our decision-making process. We need some way to consider and manage risk. This is because our decisions and planning are continually influenced by our attitude to risk.

“Great deeds are usually wrought at great risks.”  Herodotus

High anxiety

One summer I was mountaineering in the French Alps with a group of friends.  We had just spent a few days bagging some routes when someone had the idea of tackling a nearby climb. It was not one we originally planned to do as it was a higher grade than we were generally comfortable with.

That season there had been very little snow and the ridges were more exposed and icy than usual. So, as this route was following a ridge, I argued that it would be in bad condition. It was likely to be even harder than the guidebook suggested.  The weather was also set to change for the worse, so as far as I could see, the risks outweighed the opportunity.

I thought my logic was sound but the person who had proposed the climb was very persuasive. He managed to get the other two members of the group to agree with him. They wanted to give the climb a go.  It was three against one, and I knew they needed four people to attempt the route. Therefore the pressure was on for me to accept the majority decision. But I genuinely believed it was not a safe option. It was a tough conversation. I then made myself very unpopular when I refused to do the climb. It was a stand-off. They needed a fourth climber and therefore all we could do as a group was head back down the valley.

A good call

Fortunately for them, the other three found another willing climber. I meanwhile, by now feeling somewhat sheepish, decided to go trekking for a couple of days. As I was on my own I decided to stay below the snow line and try and avoid the bad weather.

I spent most of the next few days feeling guilty about being stubborn but when I returned I found that my decision had been justified.  The weather had deteriorated and the route proved to be in poor condition, as I had predicted.  After a few hours of struggling in dangerous conditions, my old climbing partners were forced to make an emergency descent. The deteriorating weather meant they also had to make a hasty retreat back down the valley.

It turned out that they were the lucky ones; that weekend ten people lost their lives in the Mont Blanc area as high winds whipped people off icy ridges.

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Risk affects our decision making

Life is full of decisions and intuitively we are assessing risks all the time, even if they are not as obvious as the ones in the previous example.  As we pursue our dreams we will be frequently faced with various options of ways to achieve our aims.  In order to navigate our course, we have to assess the factors, consider the risks, and make decisions as to the best way to go.  Sometimes to help answer the question ‘which way should I go?’ it is prudent to consider ‘which way shouldn’t I go?’ and this particular question is all about risk.

If a venture is suddenly deemed too risky, it is the surest thing that will stop us from acting; no matter how attractive the option first seemed. Therefore, risks need to be identified, assessed, mitigated and managed, so that we are in the best possible place to make our decisions.

Capacity for risk varies between people and situations so it is important to remember that this is an ongoing process of identification and management.  At the same time, we don’t want to become defensive, timid or risk-averse. Achieving bold visions means taking risks; we just need to make sure we have counted the cost before we commit ourselves.

When to consider risk

In The Right Questions Framework, we consider risk when we look at options. This comes under the Which question.

You don’t want to start a venture by looking at risk. If you do, the problems could easily become paralysed before you even start.  But, if you plan without considering the risk, you could quickly become disillusioned or make a serious mistake that could be hard to recover from.  Therefore it is at the point when one has a clear idea of what we need to achieve, and are considering different options to achieve that goal, that we look at risks.

“Take calculated risks.  That is quite different from being rash.”  General George S Patton

How to manage risk

Unnecessary risks can be avoided by careful planning and this process is part of your risk management process.  Your approach to risk – which risks you tolerate and those you treat – becomes your risk management strategy.

This exercise is a helpful aid to decision-making, but remember, that one should never make a decision out of fear.  Some risks will be big – you just need to know whether that danger is acceptable to achieve your aim.  Effective risk management helps us to achieve our mission, but with the risks considered and reduced as much as possible, not at the exclusion of risk entirely.  Remember, it is more important to do the right thing than the safe thing.

As you go into the process of identifying and evaluating the risks I recommend, that if you are part of a larger team, that you go through the following exercise first as an individual and then as a collective. This avoids group-think and other related biases.

Once you all have some ideas you are likely to find that as a team you will have a healthy (frequently robust) discussion about how to categorise risks. This is due to people’s different viewpoints; do not worry, this is a productive process. Diversity of thought will help you all evaluate risks more effectively and help you learn more about how the team thinks and operates. This inclusive process will also allow people to express any fears, find solutions and commit to the final plan.

Risk Management Process

Here is a simple risk process. If you follow this exercise you will be able to identify the key risks you face and create a basic risk management strategy:

• Play devil’s advocate for a moment: give yourself 5 minutes to try and think of as many things as you can that could put a stop to your venture and list all these threats.
• On a scale of 1 to 5 give each risk a score of how probable it is to occur (5 being the most likely).
• Now do something similar, scoring 1 to 5 for the severity of the impact of each of the risks.  In this case, a ‘1’ might be a minor inconvenience whereas a ‘5’ would be a show-stopper.
• For each risk multiply the probability score and the impact score so you get a score of 1-25 for each risk.  You can now rank all the risks in a table.
• Start at the top with the biggest risks and think about how you can avoid, prevent, limit the damage or otherwise manage the risk.  This is called mitigation.  Write down the plan for each risk and after the mitigation measures have been applied score the risk again for likelihood and impact to see how it has improved and whether it is acceptable to you (and/or your team).
• Now consider whether the opportunities outweigh the risks for the course of action you have chosen. If you are unsure, you can go back and look at the risks in more detail for another course of action that you generated previously.
• Once you have identified the most important risks make someone responsible for the management of each risk. They do not carry all the risk (or blame if it goes wrong) but they do have responsibility for tracking the risk on behalf of the team.

Record and review your risks

There are lots of ways you can record the information you get from this process. Most businesses have spreadsheets to capture the key operational or project risks. Find what works for you but my advice is to keep it simple. If the document is too big and complicated people won’t read it.

The other thing is to keep it up to date. Make sure you review the risks on a regular basis. The situation changes; new risks emerge, other risks fade. Make sure you are tracking them.

But don’t get obsessed or paralysed by risk. After all, who dares wins!

Work is a reality of life. The vast majority of people will spend a large portion of their life earning money in some job or another. The average person spends more than 90,000 hours at work in their lifetime (Psychology Today) so it makes sense that we should be doing something that gives us satisfaction as well as paying the bills. Getting the right job is therefore one of the big life goals and when we choose our profession or change our career we want to get it right.

“I think my job interview to be a bug sorter went well. I boxed all the right ticks.”

Where are you and what are you doing in your dreams?

So you are sitting at your desk, staring out the window; what are you dreaming about? Where do you picture yourself? Our daydreams can be a good indication of our yearnings, they can give insight into places we want to go and the people we want to be. What would you do if money and time were no object? What would you do if you had your time over again? Who would you most like to be like? What do you love doing, even if you are not being paid to do it? When have you had the greatest job satisfaction? Who would you most like to work with? Start making notes about what you want to do and this becomes a picture of where you want to end up, a personal vision statement. Then you can start to consider if you can make it a practical reality.

If you want to read more about realising your dreams then click here: Where: Visions and Dreams

Why do you want a career change?

One very important thing to explore is your motivation for changing career. Why do you want a different job? Is there some compelling reason or are you just bored? Are you looking for something that aligns with your values or do you just think the grass is greener in another company or position? It is important to remember that there is an aspect of work that is always going to be just that, work, no matter how much you love what you do. No job or business is without its challenges and pitfalls so don’t expect a job change to magically transform all your problems, you may well find you take the problems with you.

As you start to refine your search to a specific job or company have a look and see whether your ideals and values are aligned with that business. Many people forget to do this and then wonder why they feel unhappy in their work, even when the job description seems to be just right for them. On balance, you are probably going to be happier in a place where people share the same values as you, than just somewhere with the right job title.

If you want to read more about values then click here: Why: Values and Priorities

“If a man loves the labour of his trade, apart from any question of success or fame, the gods have called him.”  Robert Louis Stevenson.

What is your dream job?

Once you have an idea of where you want to end up you can start to be more specific about the work, job, career or vocation you need to get you there. Look at the answers to the questions about your dreams and why you want to change careers and then put a job title or description to those notes. This is an important step in turning dreams into reality. You are defining success, giving yourself a definitive mission. Once you have something to aim for you are much more likely to hit the target.

If you want to read more about defining success you can read this: What: Mission and Success

How should you land your new job?

Once you know the job you want then you start to need making a plan to get the job. You know where you are going, now take stock of where you are. Update your CV (curriculum vitae) or resume and see how suited it is to the job you want. Would you hire a person with your resume for the position you want? How could you tailor your CV to better suit the career you want? Are there gaps in your training, qualifications or experience that you could fill?

For more advice of writing a CV or resume click here: How to write a CV or resume

For information on the sorts of skills employers are looking for click here: Core competencies

Who do you know who can help?

It is a commonly used phrase that ‘it is not what you know but who you know’ that is important and this is frequently true in the job market. A large proportion of jobs – and arguably the best ones – are landed through networking rather than classified adds and job listings. Who do you know in the industry you want to work in? If you don’t know anyone directly then are there any friends or friends? Now is the time to use social media to your advantage. LinkedIn is particularly good for finding people and if you don’t know them directly you can join a group relevant to the industry you are pursuing and meet up with people there. Don’t ask people for a job; ask them for advice. No one is going to be offended if you ask them for advice. I have had plenty of coffees where I have either been giving or receiving information about certain jobs. These conversations may not lead directly to a job but they will help to answer questions and perhaps lead to other contacts.

If you want to read more about networking you can read this: Who: Your network and key relationships

When is the best time to move jobs?

Most of the time the best time to quit your job is when you have another one lined up. I always advise people not to jump ship until they have sorted out some further work. This is because it is very hard to follow your dreams if you are constantly worried about how to pay day to day bills. A good redundancy package can soften the landing but I know plenty of people who have still been scrabbling around for work as the money disappears. You may not have the choice, you may have unemployment thrust upon you. If that is the case then try to make the best use of your new found freedom to prepare for the job you want. Get an extra qualification or look at voluntary work placements that can help you further your experience (if paid ones are not available).

If you are looking for a specific position or opening you may have to wait anyway. The more specific the thing you want to do, the fewer the openings there are likely to be. Use your time to line yourself up as best you can but the wait will be more comfortable if you have an income.

If you want to read more about the importance of timing click here: When: Timing

Which way should you take to achieve your goal?

There are multiple paths you can choose from to get to your objective. It is worth thinking through the alternative ways that you could achieve a goal as significant as a career change. When changing career you may not be able to step directly into your dream job. There may be one or more intermediate jumps you need to go through, especially if you are changing the sector or industry you are working in. It is like using stepping stones to cross a river; there may be various options, and you may have to even make a sideways step at times, but you can still make progress towards your goal if you keep focussed on where you want to end up.

If you want to read more about exploring options and brainstorming different courses of actions click here: Which: Options

If you want further advice on career change I would recommend that you read “What colour is your parachute?” by Richard N. Bolles. You can click on title link above or the picture below to buy a copy from Amazon.

How should we delegate work effectively? What is a SMART or SMARTER task, and how can they help?

When we set ourselves a goal, we want to stick to it. Equally, as a leader or manager, you have to effectively delegate tasks in order for your team to perform well and to achieve your aim.

But this is simpler in theory than in practice. Often a leader’s’ experience is that – even when you think you have delegated something effectively – you still encounter problems. People may keep coming back and bugging you with questions, or alternatively the task is not done on time, or the job is not completed to the right standard.

To help avoid these issues we can use the acronym ‘SMART’ when delegating work. SMART stands for:

• Specific,
• Measurable,
• Attainable,
• Relevant and
• Time-bound.

This method is accredited to George T. Doran (who first described a version of the acronym in the November 1981 edition of Management Review) and since then the method has evolved to encompass various adaptations of the acronym including having an E (for evaluate) and an extra R (for re-evaluate) to create ‘SMARTER’ goals.

Let’s look at each one in more detail.

What a SMART or SMARTER task actually means

S – Specific

When you give someone a goal it needs to be specific. It needs to be clearly defined and unambiguous. Whether it is a large mission or a smaller task you need to express what success looks like.

Specific is the most useful word here but you could also substitute ‘significant’ or ‘stretching’ in here if you want to make a task more aspirational (such as a ‘BHAG’ – Big Hairy Audacious Goal – promoted by Jim Collins in Good to Great) or use it as a reminder to keep things ‘simple’ or ‘sustainable’.

M – Measurable

Next, the task needs to be measureable. In other words, it needs to be possible to track the progress of completion of the goal. If the task is a big one you might need to break it down into separate activities and set milestones to help monitor progress.

Having specified the goal and broken it down to measure it you have the fundamentals of a plan.

A – Attainable

It is good for goals to stretch us but the ‘A’ here makes us ensure that the task is attainable. We can be bold but the task needs to be achievable. A task can stretch a person or a team (this is healthy) but if you are asking the impossible of someone, it will quickly become de-motivational. As a leader, you set goals to help people grow, not to set them up for failure.

Therefore by asking this question we also consider whether the person in question is properly equipped and supported to achieve the task. If it is our goal then we need to reflect upon our readiness. As a manager, we should be checking that whoever we delegate to has the right training and resources to complete their work.

R – Relevant

The task needs to be relevant to the vision of the team or organisation. Ask yourself, does this piece of work take you a step closer to achieving your overall mission? It is in line with your values? If not you may need to redefine the task.

The work also needs to be relevant to the person you are delegating to. Are they the best person for the job? Is it part of their role and job description? Do they have the relevant skills and experience? Will they be developed by this task?

T – Time Dependent

Having to create a timeline makes you properly assess how long a piece of work should take. Considering time also makes you evaluate your priorities and any dependencies that one task may have upon another.

Deadlines also help to keep people accountable for finishing and stop a piece of work dragging on endlessly. The time element, as with everything else, should be set in agreement with the person you are delegating to so that you all ‘contract in’ to the parameters for the work.

E – Evaluate

Adding in the ‘E’ of ‘Evaluate’ is useful as it brings in the discipline of reviewing how well work has been done. It gives the opportunity for feedback; praise, constructive criticism and learning on behalf of the manager and worker.

For a larger goal you might want to consider these evaluation steps and plan them in along with your overall deadline. Make evaluation time dependent too.

R – Re-evaluate

Decision making and learning happen in a cycle. We recognise this by adding the re-evaluation step here. Re-evaluation is a continuation of the learning from the ‘Evaluate’ phase. Once you have identified lessons at the evaluation phase these should be incorporated in the next stage of the activity. This gives the opportunity to learn and improve as the task progresses.

For example, the first time around the deadline might not have been achieved or the person may have needed more support to achieve the goal. Once the task has been re-set and re-started then the results can be re-evaluated to identify improvement.

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Set SMART goals and SMARTER tasks

Setting SMART goals helps us ensure that goals are actually achieved. It helps take the goal from an idea to a plan that we have committed to.

Equally the SMARTER approach provides a useful checklist and process by which both a manager and employee can agree upon the parameters for a task and be accountable for its outcome. Setting SMARTER tasks helps to build in the reviewing and learning from goals that if often forgotten or neglected.

So what is your next goal or task? Apply the SMART or model and make sure it happens!

What is the GROW model? What is it for and how do you use it?

The GROW model is a popular problem-solving tool used in coaching. It is a simple and effective way to help people set and achieve goals.

The GROW process was developed by Sir John Whitmore, Graham Alexander and Alan Fine, and then popularised by Max Landsberg in his book The Tao of Coaching. Subsequently, it has been used extensively, particularly in corporate coaching settings and has become something of the industry-standard tool (Passmore 2010).

What does GROW stand for?

The word ‘GROW’ is an acronym for a four-stage coaching tool, but exactly what the acronym stands for does differ slightly from practitioner to practitioner. Commonly it that stands for:

• Goal – The clearly defined endpoint
• Reality – The present situation with is challenges and opportunities
• Options (or Obstacles) – Having identified challenges and opportunities, various options can be explored to help achieve the goal and overcome obstacles
• Will (or Way Forward/Wrap Up) – The Will or Way Forward step is the breaking down of the goal into achievable steps.

How do you use the GROW process?

Here we will look at each of the stages in turn for a more detailed view on how to apply the GROW model:

Goal

The first step is used to explore the goal that the individual or team want to achieve. It is important to clearly identify the aim, define the mission and understand what success looks like.

It is worth spending time on this step as the end state needs to be properly honed. The goal is a chance to capture the vision, mission and values of a person. This in turn helps to identify a target that is inspirational, challenging and fits into the bigger picture of a coachee’s life and work.

Here are some example questions that could be used at this stage:

• What do you want to discuss?
• What is the issue?
• Which is the most important thing you want to achieve?
• What does success look like?
• What is your vision for the future?
• How do you really want things to work out?
• Why is this goal important to you?
• What would achieving this aim feel like?
• How would this goal contribute to other aims?
• How will you know when you have achieved your mission?

If you would like some more advice on setting goals, try reading the post ‘How do you set goals, tasks and milestones to achieve a plan?’

Reality

The next step in the GROW model is looking at the reality of the situation. This involves considering the present with all its challenges and opportunities.

There is an element of looking back to see what has happened in the past and how this has shaped the present. This can mean facing some uncomfortable truths or confronting the brutal facts as Jim Collins puts it in his excellent book Good to Great (Collins, J. 2001).

Here are some potential questions to use at the Reality stage:

• What has happened to bring you to this point?
• What is going on now?
• Who is involved?
• How does the present situation make you feel?
• Is there anything holding you back?
• What are the challenges that you are facing?
• What is the cause of these challenges?
• Which assumptions have you made?

At the Reality stage of the GROW model, it may also be useful to apply the SWOT analysis which can help identify the key factors relating to the present situation.

For further help with working out the reality of the situation read ‘The essential importance of situation analysis.’

Options

Having defined the goal and explored the reality of the situation the next step is the look at various options to help achieve the goal. Sometimes the ‘O’ in the GROW model is used for ‘Obstacles’ as the options can provide different courses of action to overcome the various challenges that have been identified.

Here are some questions to consider at the Options stage:

• Which alternative ways could you achieve the goal?
• How can you overcome the obstacles?
• What would you do if resources were not a problem?
• Is there anyone who can help you?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of each course of action?
• What would are really wise person do?
• Which is the best/most effective option?

For further ideas on developing options and overcoming obstacles take a look at ‘Which is the best course of action?’

Will/Way Forward

Having looked at options and identified the course of action the ‘Will’ or ‘Way Forward’ step of the GROW model is the breaking down of the goal into achievable steps that someone can commit to.

This stage helps to wrap up the session and make sure that, by the end, the coachee has committed to some concrete and achievable actions. These can be pursued and measured between sessions.

Here are some questions to help at this stage:

• Which tasks need to be completed to achieve the goal?
• What is your deadline?
• When do you want to achieve each task?
• What is the first step?
• When can you complete this step?
• Who can help?
• Who do you need to speak to?
• What do you need to do differently?

The SMART tool can also be useful to help define these steps. To create a plan you might also want to use the free templates in ‘How to make an action plan and achieve your goal.’

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What are the limitations of the GROW model?

The GROW model is designed to be task-focused and is therefore good in work and sports situations. Its simplicity is a strength but does mean that it is a less holistic model and can miss some of the broader contexts of change. For example, other tools might complement the GROW model when looking at behavioural change, life coaching and career change.

Another simple and complementary tool is the Wheel of Life, which is useful in identifying where roles and goals may be out of balance. This can provide a good starting point for specific goals that you want to explore using the GROW model or The Right Questions approach.

The GROW model, as with any process, is only as good as its application. As Sir John Whitmore stated “even dictators can use GROW!” A coach should ensure that the model is utilised in a subtle way, bringing structure to the coaching session but in an unconscious and natural way. And, as with other coaching models, active listening is critical to its successful application.

How does the GROW model compare to other tools?

The GROW model is simple and this is one of the reasons that make it very effective and popular. Even with the differing interpretations of the acronym, it provides a relatively memorable structure and does not take much knowledge or practice to apply. It can also be used to explore and plan for a large number of different goals.

The simplicity of the model does mean that it lends itself to a quick look at a problem. As mentioned previously, for more depth it is sometimes beneficial to use the GROW model in conjunction with other tools and processes.

Goals

The first two stages of the GROW model relate to the Strategic Framing steps (where what and why) of The Right Questions model. In both tools, the aim is to properly understand the problem and situation before assessing options and making a plan. This is also equivalent to the Observe and Orientate stages of the OODA loop.

Reality

Another useful tool to use at the Reality stage is the SWOT methodology; a simple yet effective way of looking at the present situation.

Obstacles and Options

‘Obstacles and Options’ in the GROW process is covered by ‘Which’ in The Right Questions that cover risk as well as courses of action. Here the aim is to look at different ways to achieve the same goal.

At the Options stage, using tools such as lateral thinking can beneficial to generate new courses of action and the Belbin Team Model can be of great use in working out who might be able to help and how.

Will or Way Forward

The ‘Will’ of the GROW method is primarily covered by the Planning Phase (the when who and how) of The Right Questions. For more complicated goals traditional Project Management processes may be useful to apply. At a simpler level, using the SMART tool helps to capture the original goal and make sure the next step is an achievable one.

Next Steps

You may want also want some help, delving deeper into these tools or identifying your goals. I have the pleasure of assisting many amazing individuals and organisations in my work. If you would like some assistance too, in person or online, then please do drop me a line. You can email me via the contact page.

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If you would like to find out more about coaching and have an initial free coaching consultation then please email us using the contact page. Just click on this link: Contact Form

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References

• Colins, J. (2001) Good to Great. New York: Random House Business.
• Passmore, J. (ed) (2010) Excellence in Coaching. 2nd edn. London: Kogan Page.
• Landsberg, M. (2015) The TAO of Coaching. London: Profile Books Ltd.
• Whitmore, J. (2002) Coaching for Performance. London: Nicholas Brealey.

There is lots of advice on writing and examples of writing processes available, but they are not always easy to remember. POWER UP is a helpful acronym to remember the advice and steps of the writing process.

This is the process I use which has helped me write regularly for publications such as Better Humans, Start it up, Mind Café, The Ascent and more besides. It has led to 80% of my writing getting accepted for publications and wider distribution over the past two months.

POWER UP stands for:

• Plan
• Organise
• Write
• Edit
• Review
• Up-load
• Publish

Therefore the ‘POWER’ part of the mnemonic is important to any sort of writing and the ‘UP’ is relevant to writing for online publications such as Medium.

How to POWER UP your writing

Here are the stages in turn with the questions you need to be asking yourself within each step:

Plan

The first step is deciding why you want to write. Before you go any further be sure of your motivation. That could be to share knowledge, make money or just get better at writing but be honest with yourself at the beginning as it will shape the whole of the creative process, the product you create and how you view it afterwards.

Once you have answered this question you can start planning when you will write. Time is the most critical aspect (as time is the only truly finite resource) so the most important question to ask yourself at this stage is:

“How long do I have (or want to spend) on writing this piece?”

Once I have worked out how long I am going to give myself, I then plan when I am going to write. I always book the time into my diary to keep myself accountable for my goals and to stop conflicting activities. The morning is my favourite and most productive time to write so I generally plan my time in then.

Organise

After you have planned in your time you can organise your thoughts, notes and research. This will help you to decide exactly what you will write about. Keep in mind the question:

“What is the central idea I want to communicate?”

I tend to keep a long list of article ideas on my phone and then, in this phase, I choose which idea I think is the best post to develop at that given time. Then I decide on a working title for the article and set about adding to my notes and researching the topic in more depth.

Write

With your thoughts, research and notes organised you can now smash out your first draft. As you are doing this you need to keep the following question in mind:

“Who am I writing for and what do they need to know?”

You may just be writing for yourself. If the writing process is primarily just a cathartic process, then that is fine. A lot of blogs follow this approach. But if you are writing for another audience or want to share your wisdom with a specific group of people then they need to be front and centre in your mind as you write. This will help you develop a good first draft and minimise the work in the next two steps.

Edit

The next stage is to make your article good copy. You need to ask yourself:

“What do I need to change?”

I am not great at spotting typos and grammatical errors and therefore even within this phase I use a three-step approach. I write in Microsoft Word first, then paste into my WordPress platform, and then use Grammarly. At each step the inbuilt spelling and grammar software help to tighten my wording.

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Review

The review phase is effectively the 3rd iteration of your draft. At this stage you need to ask:

“What do I need to cut?”

You need to hone the writing to ensure clarity and impact as well as legibility. The key here is to remember back to the previous questions: what is the key message you are trying to convey and who are you writing for?

I try to leave a day between the edit and the review. This helps me to engage with the piece afresh. If I try to review an article too close to the drafting and editing stage my brain sees what it wants to see rather than what is actually written. I often read the article out loud too to see how it flows. I will get a second opinion of my draft when possible at this stage too.

Giving some time after writing the initial draft (and another opinion) allows the distance you need to be ruthless.

“In writing you need to kill all your darlings.”

William Faulkner

There may be some beautifully crafted sentences or well researched paragraphs but if they don’t add to the clarity and impact of the post then you have to put them to the sword. It is painful but necessary.

Upload

The next step, of uploading your article is easy in theory, but rushing this stage can affect the success of your writing. You need to ask:

“How will people find my writing?”

You may have written your ‘bestest ever’ piece, but you also need to craft the right SEO summary, select the write tags, and adding the ‘Alt text’ on your photos. These little things are like sending presents to the algorithms. The algorithms will learn to love you for it.

Now you can see which publications are the most suitable for your work (once again, do your research) and submit your article.

Publish

Once you or the publication has published your work the next stage is to help the process of people finding it. So, the question here is:

“How can I now best share my writing?”

Propagate the channels where people can find your work. Share on social media and create a conversation about your topic. Make sure you respond to comments.

I use my accounts on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn to share my posts and I will also write related posts on my website (therightquestions.co). As I gain traction on any of these platforms, I seek to build a conversation with the people who are engaging with the writing.

This last part is often overlooked but is important for two reasons. Firstly, it really helps to expand your potential readership. Second, it is really rewarding. I have found that the feedback I get from people engaging with what I write really inspires me to write more.

Some people do this part really well and I have learned a lot for writers such as Jordan Gross, who is excellent at building conversations about his work and supporting the writing of others. I have also benefitted from other people’s encouragement. The kind words I have received from other writers such as Max Klein, Darren Matthews, Terrie Schweitzer, Tim Rees, Paul Ryburn and others (thank you all!) has inspired me to keep writing on Medium and start drafting a book.

The key element of the POWER UP process

In my experience, it is the triple iteration of the writing process (the initial draft, edit and review), that is the most powerful part of this approach. This refining process really helps to craft the article. Therefore, if you really want to improve the quality as well as the productivity of your writing, I highly recommend you embrace an iterative approach to developing your articles.

More POWER to you all!

What do you most want to achieve in life? Which is your biggest personal goal? Do you know what you need to do in order to succeed? Would you like some good coaching questions to help you?

Don’t worry, help is here! In the time it takes to drink a cup of coffee you can work through the coaching questions in this post and have a much better plan for achieving your life goals.

As a coach, I spend a lot of time helping people think through their life goals and how to achieve them. I ask questions to help them through their decision-making process and then to outline an action plan that they can follow.

Self-coaching using coaching questions

You cannot beat going through this process with a professional coach (yes, I am biased, but evidence supports this claim) but there is a lot you can achieve on your own. I have produced this list of questions so that you can coach yourself through setting and achieving your goals.

The idea of the question process is to capture those big life dreams and break them down until you know exactly what the first step towards success is. To do this the questions are used in order, to explore your desires, delve into the motivations behind them, look at options for achieving your goals and then develop a plan for succeeding in that aim. By the end of the process, the questions lead to working out exactly what needs to be done, when, and who can help with your plan.

Answer the questions in the order they are written down here. You can answer these questions in a journal, on your device or even a scrap of paper, but I recommend you keep your answers. Recording your answers means that you have an action plan that you can refer to and refine.

“A goal without a plan is just a wish.”

Antoine de Saint-Exupery

20 self-coaching questions to set and achieve your life goals

What next?

Well done! Even just taking the time to think and work through these questions means that you are closer to achieving your goals. The next thing to do is to commit to that first step. Put it in your diary straight away. It might also help to tell someone else about what you plan to do – it is easier to commit to a plan if you have shared it.

Then, as soon as you have succeeded in that first task, plan for the next one. Then the next. It is those little steps that lead to achieving big goals.

“Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.”

Vincent Van Gogh